Bears writers target Josh Sweat in June 1st trade talk
Chicago Bears writers used the june 1st trade framework to focus on one name above the rest: Josh Sweat. The post-June 1 designation lets NFL teams spread dead cap charges across several seasons, which is why the discussion centered on whether Chicago could add a defensive end without forcing an immediate roster reset.
Donald Gooch said, “If the Bears do make a trade I’d like to see them go after Josh Sweat.” He added that Sweat fits the physical requirements for a DA defensive end and is under control for three seasons, while the discussion also described him as someone who could be a Chicago Bear sometime in the near future.
Josh Sweat and the cap
The appeal of Sweat was not just his position. The article said the Bears could pursue him under a post-June 1 deal structure, and the writer proposed a deal identical to what the Eagles spent on Jonathan Greenard, involving a pair of third round picks. That puts Sweat at the center of the Bears’ trade conversation in a way that other targets were not.
Donald Gooch set a boundary around the rest of the market. “It’s going to sound strange after I banged the drum for him in the offseason, but frankly, I don’t want to trade for Maxx Crosby,” he said, adding that Crosby would cost too much in draft capital, is on the wrong side of the age curve, and has been hurt in the last two seasons. He called the juice not worth the squeeze.
Tyson Bagent and Tyrique Stevenson
The trade-away side of the discussion was narrower, but it still had names attached. Josh Sunderbruch said, “In a ‘trade away’ scenario, it would be nice to see the Bears get some value out of Tyson Bagent,” and suggested a swap such as a 4th for a 3rd or a 5th and a 2028 conditional pick.
He also said, “If the Bears aren’t going to play Tyrique Stevenson, they should trade him now and get some sort of value out of him.” Sunderbruch added that he did not want the Bears to trade any pick from the first two rounds and did not want the team to trade for a receiver, a tight end, or a special teamer.
Cole Kmet and the offense
Gary Baugher Jr. drew the tightest line around Chicago’s offense. “The entire offensive side of the ball is untouchable to me, and that includes Cole Kmet (who wouldn’t be moved anyways due to the $ involved),” he said. That left the Bears’ offensive core off the table while the writers focused their trade ideas on one defensive end.
The practical takeaway is straightforward for Chicago: if the team moves at all in this market, Sweat is the clearest fit named in the discussion, while Bagent and Stevenson were the main players mentioned as possible trade pieces. The debate now sits on how much draft capital the Bears would give up and whether they choose a pass rusher over a smaller deal for an edge rusher-style upgrade.
